If you are told your role is at risk, it is reasonable to ask questions in writing. Whether the notice is a proposal or a final decision matters. Employers should consult affected employees before making redundancy decisions; if you have received a final dismissal letter without consultation, seek advice promptly. A reply helps make your concerns clear, but cannot guarantee a changed result or improved settlement.
Acknowledge receipt and the date. Ask whether the decision is proposed or final, and how you can participate in consultation. Where selection applies, ask about the selection pool, criteria and your scoring, with reasons; confidentiality about other employees may limit what can be supplied. Ask what alternatives and suitable roles were considered, and request a breakdown of statutory redundancy pay, any enhanced payment, notice, holiday and other outstanding wages. You can say you will comment further once you have had time to consider the information.
A short example: 'Thank you for your letter of [date]. Please confirm whether this is a proposal or a final decision, how I can participate in consultation, and the selection criteria and my scores if applicable. Please also provide information about alternative vacancies and a breakdown of proposed payments. I would like to respond after reviewing those details.' Adapt it to your circumstances.
Silence does not automatically amount to acceptance or waive a legal claim. You can ask for clarification without adopting an aggressive tone. Do not sign a settlement agreement hastily: to validly waive specified employment claims it must satisfy legal conditions, including advice from an independent qualified adviser. Check any contractual or policy appeal window; there is no universal five-to-ten-day statutory window. Acas recommends employers offer a redundancy appeal and allow a companion, but there is no general statutory right to accompaniment at every individual redundancy meeting. The Acas disciplinary and grievance Code does not apply to redundancy dismissals.
Great Britain statutory redundancy pay is based on age, continuous service (up to 20 years) and capped gross weekly pay. The weekly cap for relevant dismissals from 6 April 2026 is £751 (maximum £22,530); Northern Ireland has a different cap. Check the date, status and official calculator. If an employer is insolvent, eligible employees can apply for certain statutory debts through the Redundancy Payments Service, subject to limits and the claim process: payment is not unconditional or instantaneous. Notice and holiday pay should be checked separately.
For many GB tribunal claims, notify Acas for early conciliation within three months less one day of the relevant date, subject to the specific claim and timing rules. An appeal does not itself pause that deadline. Northern Ireland uses the LRA.
Explore: https://myredundancyrights.co.uk/action-plan · https://myredundancyrights.co.uk/my-rights · https://myredundancyrights.co.uk/legality-checker
Official sources: Acas redundancy consultations; Acas redundancy appeal; GOV.UK redundancy pay; GOV.UK claim redundancy and other money when employer insolvent; LRA redundancy (NI). General information only.